Hot Springs Tour through the Pacific Northwest

I love to soak in hot springs! Ever since I was a little girl, my family visited different hot springs throughout the northwest and these were always my favorite times. I grew up to carry on the tradition. In 1999, the father of my children and I visited an abundance of hot springs in a loop that started in Montana, went south down the 15 highway to Four Corners, over to California and up the coast as far north as Canada. A major highlight was Hot Springs Cove north of Tofino on Vancouver Island.

Tofino is a charming fishing town located on the north west side of Vancover Island, BC. This spot was beautiful in itself, with rugged beaches, great food and affordable to exquisite lodging. At Tofino, charter one of the many local fishing boats two hours north through the island channels. When the boat finally comes out in the open ocean where two major currents meet there is a cove. Hot Springs Cove. A raised cedar walkway takes you a couple kilometers through the pristine wild to natural hot springs that cascade into several descending rock pools. The last pool being partially in the ocean where the two large currents collide. Grey whales and bald eagles were playing around us as the ocean waves cooled our bodies from in front and hot island springs cascaded warmly down our backs. Incredible!

From Tofino, we headed south to Mount Hood and Bagby hot springs then east along the 12 highway, hitting an abundance of natural hot springs through eastern Oregon and Idaho on our way back home to Montana.
We returned from this fantastic journey having seen some incredibly beautiful places. Besides, we were cleansed, radiant, and nourished with the deep amniotic waters of the earth!

(Story by Heather Kaufman. Photo credit:pat_ong)